Leinster rugby star Jamie Heaslip has heaped praise on the Bank of Ireland “Sponsor for a Day” competition for SMEs.

Heaslip, who is involved in the “Bear” restaurant on Dublin’s South William St and “The Bridge 1859” pub in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, said the competition gives winners “a great opportunity to get some really good exposure”.

The Leinster winners of the competition, online accounting software provider Big Red Cloud, will have their logo displayed on the front of the Leinster jersey for the province’s European Champions Cup game against Castres at the RDS on Saturday.

Big Red Cloud beat out 568 other companies to win the prize, which is valued at €50,000. The software company topped a public vote after making it on to the judges’ shortlist.

Its chief executive Marc O’Dwyer previously played for Leinster’s U16s and U20s.

Munster winners Irish Yogurts will have their logo displayed on the Munster jersey for the province’s European Champions Cup game against Sale Sharks in Limerick’s Thomond Park on January 25.

This was the second edition of the competition. Almost 1,000 companies entered, around double the number that entered last time around.

“Again this year we received a high level of entries from companies across all industries, showing that entrepreneurial Ireland is alive and thriving,” Bank of Ireland’s director of business banking Mark Cunningham said after the winners were announced.

“‘Sponsor for a Day’ is about giving companies the chance to gain exposure for their brand from which I am sure both Big Red Cloud and Irish Yogurts will greatly benefit,” Mr Cunningham added.